The rags-to-riches fairytale of the season reaches a potential dizzy climax at Greyville today. If Talktothestars wins the R800 000 Gr1 Mercury Sprint he looks a certainty for the Equus Champion Sprinter award. Not bad for a gelding who started the term an MR 83 rated four time winner.
Talktothestars – go close if he beats draw
With one or two notable absentees, our final Gr1 sprint of the season brings together the cream of the speed crop at weight-for-age over the Greyville 1200m.
The race was traditionally run down the straight at Clairwoood, and the gallant Jet Master mare, Fly By Night, who won the final Clairwood clash in 2014, is back for more again.
South Africa’s highest rated horse – on 121, one point more than multiple Gr1 winner Legal Eagle – Talktothestars has a terrible draw to overcome and it is worth noting – but not surprising – that Piere Strydom has jumped ship to ride Trip Tease for his former brother-in-law, Louis Goosen.
Read more about Strydom’s decision here
Gavin Lerena – rides Talktothestars
Coenie de Beer has sourced a more than able replacement in Gavin Lerena, who recently returned from a quiet Hong Kong stint.
Lerena will be hungry to get into the winner’s enclosure.
Piere Strydom has jumped ship from Talktothestars to Trip Tease, who is trained by his former brother-in-law Louis Goosen.
Striker is in sparkling form and has won three Gr 1s, including the Vodacom Durban July, since returning from a long injury enforced rest near the end of May.
Trip Tease – with Strydom up he must rank a serious contender
He partnered Trip Tease to a 3,25 length victory in a Pinnacle Stakes over 1000m at Turffontein in mid- June for the 6yo’s 15th win in 25 starts.
The 1200m and the bend present obstacles but he jumps from pole position and is a massive runner to score an overdue first Gr1 success.
A runner that catches the eye is Sean Tarry’s Trip To Heaven, who is out and looking for an overdue maiden Gr1 success.
Trip To Heaven – just failed in the Gold Challenge last time
The son of Trippi only lost the Gr 1 Gold Challenge in the boardroom, coming back to best last time.
His run in this race last year can be ignored as he fought his rider and he will be powering at them late off a hot pace.
Cape Flying Championship winner Gulf Storm ran below par in the Tsogo Sun Sprint but he pulled very hard over the 1200m with the blinkers and they are off on Friday.
He must be a massive runner off his hard earned 113 and is perfectly distance suited.
Dean Kannemeyer is in sizzling form and saddles SA (City Of Pietermaritzburg) Fillies Sprint winner Real Princess and the Crabbia-owned gelding, Captain Alfredo.
Real Princess takes on the boys – has an excellent turn of foot
Real Princess gets tested against the males at weight-for-age and after beating Carry On Alice in the Gr1 last time, she could repeat the feat from a reasonable midfield draw.
Captain Alfredo lost a shoe in the Post Merchants. He is drawn a bit wide but is capable on his day and will be running at them under hot newbie, Lyle Hewitson.
The classy Red Ray should be ready to produce a bit better, having his third run after a long layoff and will be hoping for more luck than he had when joint-topweight in the Gr 2 Post Merchants over course and distance.
Red Ray – cherry ripe at third after rest
He has been fancied at his last two outings and Anton Marcus could have ridden Exelero.
Mike Bass bids to win the Mercury Sprint for the third time in five runnings and saddles a trio of runner.
Stable rider Grant van Niekerk is suspended and Brandon Lerena gets the call for 2014 winner Fly By Night
The Jet Master mare Fly By Night won this race in 2014 at Clairwood
The Jet Master mare bounced back to form with a second in the City Of Pietermaritzburg Sprint. And followed that with a good course and distance effort behind Kangaroo Jack in the Post Merchants. She is drawn badly though.
Lanner Falcon failed to fire in the Garden Province last time and looks held by Kannemeyer’s Real Princess on her 1200m form.
It looks a touch short for Bass’ third runner, Night Trip.
Dennis Drier’s duo is headed by Drill Hall Stakes runner-up Triptique, who found the mile a touch far last time.
Triptique won Merchants under handicap conditions
The son of Trippi won the Cape Merchants earlier this season but this will be tougher.
His stablemate Computaform Sprint third-placed Barbosa appears better than his Tsogo Sun Sprint run but has a wide gate to beat.
Vaughan Marshall-trained Exelero has run two top-class races in KZN this SA Champions Season. He received 6,5kgs from Triptothestars when beaten 2,40 lengths last time and has some lengths to make up on the De Beer runner.
Highlands sire Jackson’s full-brother Heartland is a classy individual and has drawn well. With top jockey Weichong Marwing engaged, he must have an outside chance – but it looks on the short side for him.
Trip To Heaven, Trip Tease and Talktothestars are our top three in a race where luck in running – and the draw – are likely to play meaningful parts.
Dean Kannemeyer’s Real Princess is another serious factor and she could be the surprise package to upset the big boys.
A though: Jets And Stars – Is 121 Realistic?
Talktothestars was rated 116 going into the Tsogo Sun Sprint and carried top weight of 60kg. After his victory he was raised five points to 121.
Talktothestars began the season rated 83 and three handicap victories brought him to a merit rating of 96.
He then went to Cape Town and received 4 points for running third in a Listed event and another 5 for finishing fifth in the Cape Flying Championship. He got 5 more for winning the Gr2 Senor Santa Handicap and then 6 more for running second to Carry On Alice in the Computaform Sprint.
Simply put he was penalised 12.5kg for winning just two races. Only 5kg came from the two wins themselves.
jockey Piere Strydom who rode Talktothestars in the Tsogo Sun, on hearing the new merit rating, said: “That puts him on the same level as JJ The Jet Plane and although he is a good horse, there is no comparison between the ability of the two.”
When JJ The Jet Plane left South Africa he went on to beat Rocket Man, then regarded the best sprinter in the world, in Hong Kong, and was only raised two points to 122. He then won two races in Dubai – a handicap and the Grade 2 Al Quoz Sprint – and retained his 122 rating. That gives some indication of how international handicappers view SA ratings.
Senior handicapper Roger Smith acknowledged there were issues but gave the reason why they take a micro view of a race. “Some horses go on from a race and others don’t so we assess every race on its own merits.
“The current system we have in place does not allow for retrospective rating. The down side of allowing for that is some horses could have their ratings raised, even if they don’t race.
“We do try and review merit ratings in August when things are quieter and a lot of the better horses have a break. But due to the nature of racing in South Africa we have a lot of focus on handicaps and it is hard to get things in kilter,” said Smith.
“As far as the quality of the current group of sprinters is concerned, there is no way we can take that into account, we can only look at how they perform against each other at their level.”
Smith commented that De Beer will probably only stick to Pinnacle Stakes and weight-for-age races with his runner from now on so the handicapping shouldn’t be a problem.
Trainer Coenie De Beer told Tabnews: “For me Talktothestars should be rated around 112. I think he’s a great horse but right now they’re killing him. It’s all very well for Roger to say he is not going to run in handicaps but he doesn’t pay the bills.”
